The Path to El Dorado
by TobyTheWizard
Summary: An orphaned teenager named Toby goes on an adventure to find his parents. He meets some friends and foes along the way. NOTE: Does not follow the usual main quest line, so it's not your average Pirate101 story.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1: The Start of an Adventure**

 _Flashback:_

"Goodbye, son," my father Adam Voss rustled my shaggy blond hair. "Your mother and I will be back before you know it."

"Bye, mommy," I hugged my mom and she kissed me on the cheek.

"Bye, Toby. Your uncle will take good care of you for us..." Jenny, my mother, said.

Little did my five-year-old self know that mommy and daddy wouldn't be returning from their voyage.

* * *

 _8 years later..._

It was a steamy summer day in Port Regal, Marleybone's Royal Colony in Skull Island. I was sweeping the shop of my old Uncle Larry, who had been taking care of me since my parents died. My Aunt Eliza also lived in Port Regal with us. The two never had any children, so I was like a son to them, and they generally treated me well. Uncle Larry was my father's brother. I had school in the afternoons, which was paid for by my inheritance from my parents. My mom's vast wealth came from an unknown source, some speculate that she was thief, but I am not so sure.

"Uncle?" I asked during a quiet moment in the shop.

"Yes, my boy?"

"I want to know more information about my parents. I feel like I am old enough now."

"You will never be old enough…."

"Please, uncle. I am thirteen years old! I should know more about my family!"

"No, lad. That is final. Please get back to work."

"Ugh.." I sighed and picked up the broom. I hated not knowing who I am.

"Toby, come help me please. I need to carry these boxes out to the dock."

"Yes, uncle," I picked up a crate. "What for?"

"I am going on a trade voyage to Puerto Mico. You want to come with?"

"Sure," I agreed, stepping onto the boat in Port Regal harbor. I set the boxes down and took a seat.

"What're ye doin' lad?" My uncle laughed as he stepped on the boat.

"I thought I was going with you, sir?" I stood up. It was a breezy day in Skull Island. The skiff rocked in the waves.

"Lad, you're the proper age for steering a ship. I'll teach ya how. You'll just have to sail out of the harbor."

I grinned, blushing. I was excited to learn how to sail, but a bit nervous. "Alright", I stepped up to the steering wheel. My uncle lifted the anchor and lifted the sails.

"Alright, boy, to get away from the dock, turn the wheel right with all your strength!"

I gave the wheel a hard right turn and we were off. Luckily, the port was quiet today, else I would have bumped a few other boats. After we cleared the reef, I returned to my usual spot, where I adjusted the sails. Upon reaching the windlane, my uncle approached me. He had a photograph in his hand.

"Who is that?" I asked, taking a bite of banana.

"Your parents. Jenny and Adam."

"I forgot what they looked like. Thank you for showing me. All I know is that they died when I was 5 years old."

"Your mother was an explorer, and your father a merchant like myself."

"An explorer? Where did my mum go?"

"I am unsure. She did her exploring before settling down and starting a family."

* * *

 _3rd person POV_

Meanwhile….

"I have intel that the child of Jenny Voss will be here soon," Deacon told the Monquistan.

"Of course. I will kidnap him for you, master."

"Do this and I will ensure you are paid handsomely by the Supreme Commander of Valencia."

"I will not let you down!"

"You know the meeting spot, yes?"

"Of course. I meet you at Monte Royale. I give you the child. You give me that gold you promised."

"Good. Now I shall depart. Good luck. I am sure Jenny's son is quite clever like his mother was."

* * *

 _Toby's POV_

"We're here, lad," my uncle said as we reached Puerto Mico. "We need to get these crates to the Villa Mercado." I nodded, getting up from the hammock in the small cabin.

I picked up a couple small crates and walked down to the dock. The small city of small monkey sized buildings spread out across the island. It was a relief to actually be considered "tall" for once. Back home, I was teased for being short. I set down the boxes at the stall and began walking back to the dock when a monkey stepped in front of me.

"Pardon me, señor," I said, about to walk around him, but then he tripped me, and I felt a dart enter my leg. I began to fall asleep as my limp body hit the cobblestone street...

* * *

 _3rd Person POV_

The mysterious Monquistan dragged Toby into a bush. Thankfully, nobody saw him tranquilize the teenager.

That evening, the Monquistan reached Monte Royal, an old fort on an island northwest of Puerto Mico. "Do you have the boy?" The Spymaster asked the monkey.

"Si. I do. He is on mi ship."

Within minutes, Toby was locked on an Armada vessel called The Erebus and was on course to go to Kane in Valencia. The Monquistan crossbowman who kidnapped Toby was paid handsomely by Deacon for his dark mission.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: Escape**

 _A few days later..._

Toby groggily sat up and rubbed his head. He groaned and rubbed his eyes before yawning and stretching. "Wait a minute. Where the bloody hell am I!?" Toby exclaimed when he realized he was in prison. The boy also had a foggy memory of the day he was kidnapped and also lost memory from most of his life outside of the past year. Tears began to well up in the thirteen year old's eyes.

"What is wrong?" Toby heard another voice say. It was a horse with a Mongolian accent. He had the look of a warrior, of the Mongol raiders that pillaged villages in Mooshu.

"I don't know where I am, how I got here, and I barely know who I am anymore," Toby sat with his knees bent up to his chest.

"We are on an Armada prison ship. There is not much chance for escape. I am sorry, young one. However, I am open to your friendship. I am Subodai."

"I'm Toby, Toby Voss. Nice to meet you," Toby said to the Mongolian inmate across the hall. "Ack! My uncle is probably worried sick about me," tears began to drip down his flushed cheek.

"My father, Ogudai Khan, a great warrior, lost me last month when the Armada invaded our camp. If we do escape, I will return to him, and the time away will be filled in."

"Thanks, Subodai," Toby sniffled. The boy felt his stomach growl. "I haven't eaten for days... I'm so hungry."

"The guard will bring bread and fish soon. It is not enough to nourish the body... but it is enough to satisfy the stomach," Subodai laughed.

In about a half hour, an Armada officer came down the stairs. Toby shot up from his laying down position. The officer gave the prisoners a plate with a bread roll and a small amount of fish.

Toby readily ate his, as did Subodai. Toby felt no use complaining, as it would be another day before he received another food ration.

The rest of the afternoon, Toby Voss was bored out of his mind. Suddenly, a blast shook the ship. "What was that?!" Toby asked Subodai across the hall.

"It is probably pirates attacking. The Armada will easily defeat them."

Next, Toby heard a gangplank drop on the deck above. "It sounds like the opposite is true..." Toby stated.

"That would be unusual," Subodai admitted. The sounds of swords and guns from above filled in the time. "I hope the pirates will know we are down here."

"Me too," Toby said, still listening to the battle above.

"Do you know how to battle?" Subodai asked his young friend.

"No," Toby replied. "I'm not very skilled. Some would say that I am clumsy. Why do you ask?"

"That will be our life now. Battling. I will gladly join you, Toby, and help you learn."

Boochbeard and Gandry entered the prison hold under the ship. "This is where the Armada has captured the son of Jenny!" The old man told his monkey sidekick. Toby and Subodai glanced at each other confused.

"Jenny was a human, so look for a prisoner who is human," Gandry glanced around the small hold. Toby and Subodai were the only prisoners.

"There he is!" Boochbeard pointed at young Toby.

"I think you have the wrong person, sir," the teenager said sheepishly.

"What's your name, lad?" Boochbeard asked the blond boy.

"I'm Toby Voss," he replied.

"He is the one! He's the son of the legendary explorer Jenny Laverne... She married Adam Voss."

"Were they your parents, boy?"

"Sir, my mother was not an explorer."

"Then she did a damn good job of keeping a secret then." Boochbeard chuckled.

"Can you tell me more?" Toby asked, wanting to learn about his parents he barely knew.

"Yes, but first we must free you!" Boochbeard said. His friend Gandry pulled a lever next to my cell.

"Ugh! The bulkhead is bent!" Gandry sighed. "NOW what do we do?!

Toby pondered for a minute before the panel on the back of his cell shattered, opening a new hallway. "I'll walk around and meet you guys!" Toby jumped over the rubble and walked into the new hall. After a few instances of dead ends, Toby reached Boochbeard and Gandry in the main hall.

"Took ya long enough! Let's go!" Boochbeard said.

"Wait," Toby frowned and pointed at Subodai's cell.

"Oh, yes, free him too," Boochbeard sighed. "We don't have all day."

Toby rolled his eyes and gave a tug on the lever. The cell door opened and Subodai was free. "Thank you, Toby. I am now in debt to you forever," Subodai bowed, and Toby smiled.

"Enough doddling! We must get going!" Gandry said. Everyone ran upstairs to the main deck. The Armada officers had gathered on the deck.

"Boochbeard! Trying to take my prize, you ruffian?" Deacon shouted in reference to Toby. The young teen was quite confused. All of this was new to him. "Attack!" Deacon ordered. A pair of Battle Angels confronted Toby. The boy was unsure on what to do. Boochbeard tossed a pair of twin blades at Toby, who caught them. One in his right hand and the other in his left. The blades felt natural to him. One of the angels advanced and attacked the boy. He let out a small cry of pain. Deacon laughed.

"You DARE attack my friend? You will pay!" Subodai charged into battle with his Mongolian sword, slayed one of the angels and helped Toby up. The blond-haired boy had a scar across his cheek from the attack. He picked up his daggers and charged another Battle Angel. He somersaulted under her sword as she tried to attack him again. Toby jumped over the robotic angel, slicing her wings off as he landed behind her. "Nice attack," Subodai smiled. "Perhaps you are not as clumsy and unskilled as you thought."

"Thanks," Toby wiped sweat off his forehead.

"Blast them!" Deacon shouted as a platform rasied up in the middle of the ship. Toby's jaw dropped as he saw the giant armada troops. They had armswords that were 9 feet long, stood over 8 feet high and had armcannons that could take out a skiff. Toby darted away from the machines while Deacon laughed. "Not as tough as you think, boy..."

"Haha..." Boochbeard chuckled. The old man tossed a dozen bombshells on the giants. They were in smithereens. The ship was shrouded in smoke.

"Let's get going!" Boochbeard shouted. Toby, Subodai, and Gandry followed the peg-legged pirate to his galleon, The Flying Sloth. Toby raised the gangplank and Boochbeard steered the ship away from The Erebus.

"Set course for Skull Island, Capitaine!" Gandry said.

Toby walked up to Boochbeard and cleared his throat. "What do ya need lad?!" The old man asked Toby.

"Can I ask you about my parents? PLEASE?!" Toby grinned.

"Sorry, lad. I need to focus on steerin'! Don't want to hit a rock and become castaways."

Toby sat on the steps in frustration. A tear welled up in his green eyes. Subodai walked up, and sat next to him. "Give it time, young friend. The answers you seek will come with patience."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: A New Ally

Within a couple hours, the ship reached Skull Island and Boochbeard let the duo off before he and Gandry sailed off somewhere else. Toby and Subodai were told to visit Captain Horace Avery, whose house was in the hills above the town. Skull Island Town was quite in need of repair, a lot of buildings seemed creaky and ready to fall in the next storm. Toby was given a few ominous glares from rats and sharks on the street and the back alleyways of the town. He was relieved when he walked up the steps to Avery's Courtyard.

"Avery must be in the big mansion at the back," Subodai noted. Toby nodded in agreement and ran ahead. Toby opened the door and entered Avery's office. Subodai was not far behind.

"Well, hello there, lad," a tall man with a wig and very large pirate hat greeted Toby. Captain Avery also had a white cockatoo named Horatio on his shoulder.

"Hi, sir, Boochbeard sent me and Subodai here. He said you could help us?"

"Oh, you must be Toby Voss. That old chum of mine mentioned he was going out to look for you. You appear to be a bit more... disheveled than I initially assumed."

"Oh, uh, sorry to disappoint, sir," Toby blushed. "We just escaped from an Armada prison ship."

"It is alright, lad. You'll be somewhat safe here. I cannot say I knew your parents, but from what I heard of them, I know they were amazing people," Avery told the young teenager.

"Anyways, do you know someone who did know my parents? I'd like to learn more about them."

"Oh, yes, of course. I know a very powerful man. One of the most powerful in all Skull Island. The Frog Father! He has met Jenny and Adam Voss. He is located in Jonah Town, which is on a whale south of here. Probably an hour's journey by sail."

"May we borrow a ship? We do not have one, sir," Subodai asked the Pirate Lord.

The man chuckled. "I cannot just give a ship to a couple of skyway vagabonds who showed up at my doorstep! You'll have to work for it."

"But, sir, remember. My parents are the legendary Vosses..." Toby smirked, trying to find a loophole.

"Lad, I run a pirate haven here, not a charity. It's basic business, but you youngsters know nothing of finance, economics, taxation..."

"Actually," Toby began with a grin. " I worked in my uncle's shop the last few years, and-"

Captain Avery burst out laughing. "No, lad. We are talking about governance!"

"But, you said business?" Subodai asked, confused.

"Governance, business, there's no difference! The end goal is to make money!"

"So, uh, what do you want me to do?" Toby asked. "Collect taxes? Sign trade deals?"

"Hmm... I will start you off easy. Find a way to stop the Troggy bombardment of our town. Help our new republic's militia. Whether it be in battle or diplomatically. I'll know when you succeeded when at least a minute goes by without hearing a gunpowder blast."

Toby and Subodai walked outside and to the West Bastion of Skull Island Town. There was a long rickety wooden bridge over the skyway to a mountainous lush island. It looked like barrels of gunpowder and naptha were being fired back to the town. An officer stopped the duo as they walked towards the bridge. "It's too dangerous to proceed," Chief Gunner Rigby crossed his arms.

"Beg pardon, sir. Captain Avery sent us," Toby told the officer. Subodai nodded in agreement.

"Alright, you can go. Look for Lt. Smollet and Bonnie Anne. They're the main militia troops taking care of those croaking savages."

The travelers reached Skull Mountain, the lush island mentioned before. The island was covered in a dense jungle. There was a small camp with a human militiaman and a she-fox armed with a gun. "Hello. Who might ye be?" The fox asked.

"I'm Subodai, and this is my young friend Toby. Avery sent us to help. What can we do?"

"You can quell their numbers for us. Subodai, you look strong. Come with me and the rest of my squad. We can teach these indigenous amphibians a lesson to mess with Skull Island. Toby, lad, you can join Bonnie Anne to scout out their munitions and slingshots," Lt. Smollet, the militiaman, ordered.

"But, sir... I can fight," Toby showed the lieutenant his daggers.

"Lad, you will do as you're told," Smollet said sternly.

"Fine," Toby sheathed his daggers and rolled his eyes. Toby joined Bonnie Anne. They snuck along the cliffs of the island where troggies loaded explosives into their primitive slingshots to fire back. They were marked on a map and Bonnie Anne shot the barrels with an electric blast from her gun, destroying the munitions. Meanwhile, Subodai joined the officers of the militia and went into the Troggy Village to defeat their warriors, hunters, and shamans.

By sundown the high troggy chief surrendered and the war was over. The militia enjoyed a meal of hardtack, pork, and yum back at the camp around a bonfire before the militiamen and women returned home to town.

"Thank you. Here is your payment for services," Avery handed each of them 150 coins. "I also gathered some info about getting to Jonah Town," Avery said as Toby slipped the coins into his pocket. "There's a cargo ship leaving tomorrow morning headed for Jonah Town."

"What is this ship called?" Subodai asked.

"It is the Silver Lotus and it leaves at 8 o'clock in the morning!"

"May we stay here for the night, sir?" Toby asked politely.

"Yes, please do. But you will have to sleep on a couch," Avery said.

"It is better than sleeping on a creaky wooden floor of an Armada ship for 3 months," Subodai chuckled.

"I won't argue with you about that," Avery laughed. "I assume I won't see you again, so I will bid you safe journeys. Perhaps come back for a visit some time."

Avery left the office, and took Horatio, his pet cockatoo, with him, and Subodai and Toby washed up for the first time in weeks before changing into some fresh clothes given to them by Avery. Getting to sleep on a couch was luxurious compared to the armada ship's bedding situation, or lack thereof. Toby quickly fell asleep on a purple couch in the corner of Avery's office.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Welcome to Piracy

 _Toby's POV_

Sunlight streamed into the windows of Captain Avery's office. Outside the morning sky was pink and clear, an uncommon sight in Skull Island where thunderstorms were common.

Subodai and I didn't have much to pack, so we decided to make our way down to the dock. No place was open for breakfast. A shame because I was hoping to eat before our long sea voyage.

I found the Silver Lotus and walked up to her captain, a tall, chubby man. "Hi, sir, we'd like to ride on your ship to Jonah Town?" I said, winking.

"That won't be for free. Both of ye will have to pay up. 2 gold coins each." Both Subodai and I paid the captain 2 coins. "Welcome aboard. The crew is having biscuits down below for breakfast before we set sail. Just don't interfere with our cargo and you'll make it to Jonah Town in one piece by high noon."

Subodai followed me to the galley, which smelled of biscuits. I felt my mouth water thinking about it. As we walked in, we were given a less than friendly greeting. "Oi! What are you two doin' down 'ere?!" A frog pirate pulled a gun on us.

"We mean no harm. We are passengers aboard this humble ship and we simply came for the biscuits," Subodai reasoned.

"Oh, you're just 'ere for the biscuits? Why didn't ya just say so. Help yourselves lads."

Subodai and I each grabbed a couple biscuits and walked up to the main deck. We watched the clouds pass while eating breakfast and talking about our lives before the Armada captured us. Subodai's tales were obviously more interesting than mine. Me, being a shopkeeper's nephew while Subodai pillaged and raided across Mooshu.

Soon, around midday we reached Jonah Town. The town was built literally on a whale's back. I'm surprised the whale hadn't shaken the town off or experienced any pain from splinters. The fishing town was inhabited by Pelicans. We found their captain, Ahab. "Well, ayah! Welcome to Jonah Town, eh." The pelican squawked in his New England accent.

"We're lookin' for the Frogfather. Do you know where we can find him?" I asked politely.

"Ayah! I do. Yes. The Frogfather lives in Gullet down in the whale's dark belly. But I can't just let anyone down there. What's your purpose?"

"Captain Avery sent us! It is very important. The Frogfather is to help this orphan find more info about his parents," Subodai answered.

"Oh, Avery sent ya? Then why didn't ya say so? Get in the bucket and I'll lower ya down into the blowhole. The Gullet district is down there in the whale's dark throat, or gullet."

Subodai and I walked into a large wooden bucket attached to a winch system. Captain Ahab used the pulley to lower us into the whale's blowhole. Within a few minutes we were in a section of town built on wood held above the saliva and acid by posts. We could see outside the whale's mouth at the open skyway. In the opposite direction, the esophagus continued down to the beast's belly. A frog in a powdered wig at the entrance to the dark town stood there.

"Hello?" He croaked.

"Hi, sir," I said. "We're looking for the Frogfather."

"Ah, yes, go up the ramp and turn left. Then walk a few houses down. That's Rocco's house. He's the Frogfather's doorman."

A part of my instict (and I think Subodai's instinct as well) sensed there was some trickery involved. "Hello. Good afternoon. Here to see the Frogfather?" Rocco asked. I nodded in affirmation. "What's the password?"

I blushed a little and turned to Subodai. He shrugged. The bloody frog outside didn't warn us about the password!

"No password?" Rocco paused for a few seconds. I saw the frog reach back for his gun. "Boys, attack the interlopers!"

I drew my twin blades and Subodai unsheathed his Mongolian sword. For once, my narrow, lanky figure helped me in combat; it was much easier to dodge the electric shocks from Rocco's guns. I somersaulted and stabbed Rocco with my twin blades, causing him to surrender.

"Crikey, mates!" Rocco stood up. "You're clear to go. You passed the test."

"Test?" Subodai and I asked simultaneously.

"The guy by the lift up to Jonah Town and I came up with this security measure. Now, go down the street to the big house with twin crabs at the door. Tell them the password is swordfish."

"Are you sure?" I asked, glaring at the frog.

"Oy, yes mate. Frog's honor," he nervously chuckled.

We followed Rocco's directions and found the Frog Father's building. "Ey. What's the password, man?" A crab thug asked in a stereotypical New Jersey accent.

"Swordfish," I said with my fingers crossed.

"Ah, I see. Go right in," the thug stepped aside and pointed at the door with his claw.

Subodai and I entered the building. The office was dark and musty, being lit by only a few candles. "Hello, boys. I am The Frogfather. How may I do business with you?" A large frog said from the desk. He had more of an accent of the Italian mafia types in New York.

Subodai nudged me. "Hello—sir," I said, nervously. "I'm looking for more information about my parents, and Captain Avery referred me to you."

"Come. Sit down," The Frogfather gestured to the fancy chairs facing the desk. "Now, what were your parents' names?" The frog asked me after we sat down.

"Jenny and Adam Voss. I'm unsure of my ma's maiden name."

"Ah, yes, I met Adam Voss. My canine friend from Marleybone, a Jack Russell, introduced me to him at least fifteen years ago. Adam had a very lovely woman with him. I believe her name was Jenny Laverne. The two must have married. Why are you looking for them?" The Frogfather asked.

"They died 8 years ago, sir," I said, a small tear dripped down my cheek.

"Oh, I am sorry for your loss, my boy, and at such a young age too. I do know what happened to Jack Russell. He was very good friends with your ma and pa."

"Where do we find this dog?" Subodai asked.

"He's locked up in the Presidio, a Monquistan colonial fortress. He was doin' a job for me and got caught by the Monquistans. I'll get you in there easy if you agree to do a small favor for me. A Quid Pro Quo as they say in Aquila."

"What would that be?" I asked.

"Finish the job Jack started. Steal the spices from the Presidio. Bring the spices and Jack back here and I'll have a small gift for you."

"How will we get to the Presidio."

"One of my associates will meet you at the dock of the town and navigate up to the Presidio. It's a good 5-hour trip."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: The Presidio

Within an hour, Subodai and I were passengers on a small skiff sailing north to the Presidio. By nightfall, we reached a small secret cove on the back side of the island that the Presidio was built on. We all put on black cloaks to reduce our chance of being spotted. Two frogs wielding muskets went first up a small path through the vines. Subodai and I followed close behind. We crossed over a steep hill before the Presidio became visible. The only light came from the full moon above, giving a faint, soft light that didn't improve the visibility much. We quietly climbed down the steep path as to not attract the attention of the Monquistan guards on night patrol on the walls of the fort.

I tiptoed closer to the wall and walked on a small plank from the jungle path onto the wall, and I quickly hid behind a guard tower to not be spotted. I gave a small hand signal when the coast was clear for the others to join. The frogs with us jumped down swiftly into the courtyard. When the marching guards had turned the other way, one frog quickly attached a grappling hook and Subodai and I had to get down quickly before a guard noticed the grappling hook in the dark. The courtyard was empty and dark with a few palm trees and bushes. We used the darkness to our advantage to sneak into the storage room where the spices were.

The stockroom was unguarded and dimly lit with a few lanterns. A frog waddled over to the metal barred door holding the spices. "Drat! It's locked."

"Subodai, Toby, you two can go to the barracks and get a key. We'll stay here and make sure no guards come," the other frog ordered.

"Alright," I said before Subodai and I turned around to walk out of the stockroom.

As soon as Subodai shut the door after we stepped out of the stockroom, we were confronted by a couple Monquistan guards. "How dare you invoke the might of the Monquistan Empire, giants!"

Subodai and I quickly disabled the guards before the alert could be sounded. We entered the large door in the courtyard on the opposite end from the gate leading out to the main dock. This room, like the stockroom contained no Monquistan soldiers. The room was dimly lit by a few lanterns. There were tables in the room and a few doors led to various bunk rooms where off-duty guards slept. Off to the left were stairs leading up, while in the back of the room a dog sat in a jail cell. "By Jove! Toby, it's you!" The dog exclaimed.

"This dog, he must be the Jack Russel you are looking for," Subodai suggested. I nodded and walked up to him.

"Yes, I am Lucky Jack Russel. My word, Toby, you look just like your father now that you're older. I haven't seen ya since you were a toddler. I miss your parents so much."

"Me too," I said. "Anyways, I'm looking for keys to the stock room and your cell. Do you know who may have them."

"The commander, upstairs. He has the keys in his office. Be careful not to wake him up though."

"I will stay here. Toby, friend, you are sneaky enough. I will only wake the commander," Subodai suggested.

"Alright. Wish me luck," I saluted. I quietly walked up the stairs to the commander's office. On the right side, a monkey, who I presumed was the commander, was fast asleep in a bed. The office was dark despite a beam of pale moonlight from the window. I tiptoed over to the desk, knowing I'd be toast if I was caught. I found a ring of keys on the desk and put it in my pocket quietly. I tiptoed back out of the room and walked downstairs to unlock Jack's cell.

"Thanks," the black and white dog shook my hand. Jack was wearing a typical pirate coat and had a blue bandanna over his head with holes for his eyes and ears. "Let's go to the stockroom," Jack said before the three of us returned to the stockroom.

Our amphibian friends were cornered by a troop of Monquistan soldiers. After a small skirmish, we knocked out the guards and took the spices from the stockroom. "There's a secret exit through the grate in the floor. It leads to the north shore of this island."

"That's where our ship is," the frog captain thanked the dog. "Now, let's get back to the ship and to Gullet!"

On the frog's ship, Jack and I sat on the deck and he told me more about my parents. "Your father and I met twenty years ago during the Polarian War. We were both conscripts in Marleybone's Royal Navy. We defended Port Regal from the penguin scourge before the Armada turned the tide. We were there at the invasion of Walruskberg when Napoleguin finally surrendered after four bloody years of war. When we returned to Port Regal we spent an evening at the Hope and Anchor tavern. That was where Adam met Jenny. I dared him to ask her to dance. I didn't think he'd actually do it! Jenny said she was an explorer who had voyaged to several places across the spiral. She explored canyons in Cool Ranch, deserts in Mirage, and sailed the skies of Empyrea even! After exploring for years, she decided to settle down in Skull Island. The three of us started a piracy operation, with our hideout in the back of Devilfish Hollow, a dangerous and deadly cavern where many backwards tribal Troggies, Water Moles, and Grimtooth Sharks dwell. Soon, the two got married and Jenny was expecting soon. We abruptly cut the operation and moved back to Port Regal so that you could have a safe life. Your uncle Larry joined us and started a mercantile business. One day, however, Jenny and Adam set out on a voyage to Valencia, taking a back route through Dragonspyre, a world of fire and flame ruined from the rule of King Vladimir Dragonblade many years ago. He summoned the Dragon Titan, and ever since then, Dragonspyre has been a deadly place. Your parents took the risk going there and never were seen again. I joined a pirate gang after their death, and that landed me in a Monquistan prison. I thank you for freeing me and I will help you find more about your parents."

"Perhaps we could go to your old place in Devilfish Hollow? Maybe something was left behind?"

"Oh, yes. That's a great idea. We left behind quite a few things in that old cave. I'm sure some of those darned savages looted the place or the jungle overtook the cave, but it's worth a try."

By midnight, we reached Jonah Town again. In the Frogfather's office, we all sat down at the table. "I thank you boys for getting my spices, and I see you were successful in finding Jack. You did a favor for me, now I do a favor for you. Understand?" The Frogfather said frankly. I nodded. "Your parents, Adam and Jenny, left one of their skiffs for me to keep in case their son would ever need it. I see now that it's time to give the ship over to it's rightful owner."

"My OWN SHIP?" I asked, eagerly. "Thank you, sir," I stood up.

"Yes. It's waiting at my private dock. You may leave in the morning. You are free to spend the night here in my guest quarters."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6 The Hideout

After a good night's sleep, I awoke at dawn and joined Jack and Subodai in Jonah Town above. The Frogfather's henchman let us into the private dock where Jack immediately pointed out my parents' skiff. "It's not the best ship in the Skyways, but your parents kept it in good shape. A frog handed me the key to the ship, which was called The Barstow.

"I barely know how to sail..." I said.

"You'll learn over time, mate. I'll navigate us to Devilfish Hollow to our old hideaway," Jack smiled, taking the key. The three of us boarded the ship. The cabin had a few small bedrooms for us to sleep in during nights at sea. Essentially, this ship would be our home for a while. Jack steered The Barstow into a narrow inlet. On both sides of the channel (which was called Corsair's Channel on the map) were lush jungle covered hills dotted with ruins of the Aztecans who inhabited these islands centuries ago. Towards the back of the channel, we dropped anchor near a small beach surrounded by cliffs. A small cave led into the dark depths of the island.

"I'm guessing the hideout is in there?" I pointed into the cave while putting my hat on.

"You're right, lad." Jack nodded. I took in a deep breath before Jack, Subodai, and I entered the cave called Devilfish Hollow. What I didn't realize is how deep the cave went, and the cave was vegetated like a jungle, despite the lack of direct sunlight. The three of us walked into the dimly lit cave. We avoided the eyesight of the troggies and water moles that inhabited the deep cave. We soon reached the entrance to one of many side caves. "We're here," Jack said. The dog pirate used his cutlass to cut the vines that grew over the entrance over the past thirteen years. As soon as the way was clear, I walked in with Jack and Subodai not far behind.

"Wow..." I said, looking at the cave hideout.

"Well, what do ye know. The vile savages outside never looted the place," Jack said with relief. I walked over to where my mother's stuff was. "Your mum left behind some things in the hideout for safe keeping."

The three of us began looking around the hideout. I found some journals on the bookshelf. "Look what I found," I said, smiling.

"Those were Jenny's journals. She didn't take them with her when we moved to Port Regal," Jack said.

"I bet it has details of her exploration in here!" I said, carefully turning the pages as to not rip them.

There were lots of charts and maps drawn of vast skyways in worlds as far away as Zafaria, Azteca, and Empyrea. I stopped on a strange map of a city of gold. The title of the page was "El Dorado" and a note said: "I will not say how we arrived in this accursed land. The gold is enticing. There must be a hundred thousand lifetimes of pure gold in this city. However, the titans who built this place guarded it well. Large mechanical giants the size of fifty men came to life as we were exiting the shining city. However, we did not leave without a shipful of gold. On 24 August, we are now returning to Valencia, the homeland of our captain Marco Pollo. The entire crew swore oaths to never tell another soul about what we saw on the last leg of our epic voyage. After this trip is done, I plan on not exploring for a while. It's time to settle down and live a quiet life. I am putting my past behind me."

I flipped to the last entry, which was nearly 14 years ago: "I am leaving the crew's hideout here in Devilfish Hollow. This damp, dark cave is no place to raise a young son or daughter. We are moving to the city where Jack and my wonderful husband Adam come from, Port Regal. I am not fond of the idea of living under the Marleyboneans' oppressive rule. But it is what must be done to give my child a safe life. I am expecting soon. I hope no one finds this diary, which is why I am leaving it behind in this dismal place along with my past treasures."

"ALL THESE YEARS!?" Jack shouted, jamming his cutlass into the old wooden table. "The woman found the greatest treasure trove in the spiral with Marco Pollo himself and never cared to tell her best mate? Did she even tell Adam?" The dog sat down to calm down. Tears rolled down my cheeks due to the emotions of having found my mother's diary. "It was well known that Marco Pollo and his mysterious crew found El Dorado. I cannot believe Jenny lied!"  
"Hush, dog," Subodai interjected. "Toby has a lot to take in."

"She swore an oath, Jack," I mumbled, holding back a few tears. I opened the diary to a random page. This page was on the Isle of Doom, one of Monquista's colonies, and an island rich in Aztecan gold hidden in dense rainforest. On the map, there was a drawing of a cave of purple crystals. A note said that the crystals had a spiritual power, as said by a water mole shaman. It allows you to communicate with the spirits in the past in your family tree. "I know of a way to potentially communicate with her," I mentioned to the group. "There's a cave in the Isle of Doom. We can go th-"

"Absolutely not," Jack said. "I am a wanted dog in Monquista. We go there, I go back to jail. You too," Jack glared at me. "It's too risky."

"According to this map," Subodai piped in, "there is another dock to the Isle of Doom in Flotsam Skyway. It looks very old and grown over with vines, but it's not in Monquistan territory."

Toby looked at Jack for his answer. The dog pirate pondered for a minute before agreeing. "Alright, we'll do it, but I'll wear a different outfit in case we come across any Monquistans."


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Into the Isle of Doom

We set sail the next day and sailed south out of Corsair's Channel on the Barstow. The weather was cloudy and breezy, allowing for swift voyaging on the wind lanes, but if storms were a possibility, we would be in danger on the skyways. I kept a lookout while Jack steered the ship through a narrow straight near Blood Shoals, a rocky cape on one of the islands of Skull Island. We soon entered Flotsam Skyway. There was a stormgate to Cool Ranch as well as a large volcano looming over a village of native Waponi Water Moles on the northwest end of the skyway. We sailed east to the Isle of Doom's remote west coast. By this point, rain had begun falling from the thick clouds overhead. We found the old stone dock, which likely had been there since the time when Aztecans had settled in Skull Island.

We walked up the dock leading to a muddy dirt path that was mostly overgrown with vines and tropical plants. "I think we're some of the first people here in many centuries," I said.

"Jenny was here, years ago. When we supposedly speak to her in these crystals, be sure to ask her how she got to El Dorado," Jack said.

The path led under a dense canopy, shielding us from the heavy rain above. Various monoliths of Aztecan origin lined the path. "These relics of ancient history. They are quite beautiful," Subodai touched one, admiring it's engraving.

"It looks like the path leads into this small temple," I said, speed-walking ahead. By small, I mean small by comparison to the other massive temples. This temple was still well over 30 feet tall. "And it looks like there's no other way around," I said, about to step through the door into the dark, dusty temple.

"Wait!" Jack said from behind. "Who knows what's in there. We'll need a light. We may accidentally set off booby traps."

"Good thinking," Subodai said, breaking off a dry stick about a half foot long. "Now, how to light it..."

Jack took a match out of his satchel and lit the torch.

"Let's go," I eagerly entered the temple.

"Slow down!" Jack shouted. I soon reached a central circular room. Not far ahead was the exit out the other end of the temple, which, again, wasn't very large. The room was lit by sunlight through a hole in the roof shining down onto a sunstone type obelisk in the center. I reached out to touch it, but Jack grabbed my hand. "That thing is probably booby trapped!"

I sighed. Then Jack took a few steps and one of the tiles on the stone floor pressed down like a button. "Oh crikey! You set off a booby trap!" I groaned.

Suddenly, a couple sarcophaguses in the chamber opened and a couple Aztecosaur Mummies came out. I drew my daggers, Subodai unsheathed his sword and Jack grabbed his cutlass. Within a few minutes, the Aztecan mummies were defeated, despite my companions and I receiving a few blows from the mummies' eye rays.

"Let's try to not do that again," Subodai remarked, cleaning off his sword and re-sheathing the Mongolian blade.

We walked out the other end of the sunstone temple, careful not to set off more booby traps. This side of the temple opened to a ruined city, with buildings that resembled Aztecan buildings. The central plaza was submerged in ankle deep water, as a shallow river now flowed through the area. Water Moles, one of the races of indigenous people in Skull Island (the other being the colorful troggies), inhabited the ruins of the Aztecan city, despite the deteriorated condition of the buildings. I checked the map.

This city, which was called Tenochitlan by the Aztecans before they abandoned it a thousand years ago, isn't far from the Glowing Crystal Cave. Perhaps the water mole shaman my mom mentioned lives here.

"We'll ask the water moles here, but be careful, they might be savages," Jack warned.

"Water moles are pretty nice, unless they're Waponis," I countered. I approached some water moles, or, more accurately, platypuses, who were in a ruined building with two walls and a ceiling. "Hello. Do any of you know about a cave of purple crystals?"

"Yes," one of the natives said. "You'll have to ask the shaman, Red Fish, about that. The cave is forbidden to us regular tribe members."

"Oh really? Why is it forbidden?" I asked.

"It is of spiritual importance to our people. However, Red Fish allowed a woman in there nearly fourteen years ago. She was allowed since she was an outsider."

"That was my mother!" I exclaimed. "She was here before I was born."

"Interesting. Ask the shaman to lead you there. He will guide you. Safe travels, friend."

* * *

The rain had mostly stopped when we reached the shaman named Red Fish. The sun was going down and the mosquitoes were coming out. Red Fish was in the large pyramid of Tenochitlan, and we had to climb up 70 steps to reach the entrance at the top of the step pyramid. The sun was setting at the horizon as we walked into Red Fish's sanctum.

"Ah, hello, outsiders. Welcome to my sanctum," Red Fish said from his glowing cauldron. The water mole wore a mask over his face that was painted and colorful with a few leaves on top. He also had a long staff intricately carved with symbols. "Why do you come to me this evening?"

"I am here to see the crystal cave. My mother, Jenny, wrote about it in her journal," I showed the elderly shaman my mom's journal.

"Ah, yes. Jenny. Beautiful woman. She was with Marco Pollo's crew. I showed them the Spirit Crystal Cave. I can take you there."

Red Fish led us across the dark village. Mosquito bites were frequent and the full moon was overhead. We went on a trail going uphill from town and we came to a jungle clearing. Ahead was a mountain covered in jungle and to the left I saw a cave entrance that was glowing a shade of purple and pink. "Woah..." I said entering the cave behind Red Fish.

"It is beautiful, no?" The shaman asked. "I often come here to speak to the heavens to guide my tribe on important decisions as well as to speak to my ancestors to gain their knowledge. I wish the same for you three. I will wait outside."

After Red Fish waddled outside, I slowly walked up to the mesmerizing pink glow of the crystals. "Go ahead, lad," Jack said, putting his hand on my shoulder.

"Do I just..?" I paused and put my right hand on the crystal, which glowed more brightly. "Nevermind."

The cave surroundings as well as my companions and the crystal vanished. I was in a blank white space alone. "Hello?!" I shouted.

"Hello, son," a male and female voice said as two humans in their thirties appeared.

"Mom, dad?!" I ran up to them.

"We are waiting for you, my son," my mom, Jenny, kneeled down to talk to me.

"W-what do you mean?" I asked, a little surprised.

"Find us! Find the key..."

"Wha...what key?!"

"Shining city... El Dorado! The key to El Dorado!"

"Where do I find the Key to El Dorado"

"Deep within the Pyramid of Fire... in Xol Akmul... Lost Aztecan City... Xol Akmul can be found inland from Blood Shoals. City was abandoned centuries ago... all gold looted by Marleybone... However, in the chamber of the Jaguar... There is a giant golden jaguar statue... One eye purple amethyst... the other a green emerald. His mouth holds the key."

"What do I do when I have the key?" I asked..

"Take it to the chamber of fire... in the bottom of the same pyramid and unlock the door of El Dorado. Open the door and you will reach El Dorado. We will be waiting for you at the door."

"You awoke from your vision!" Jack said.

"I spoke to my parents for the first time in so long," I said, stepping back from the magical crystal. "They told me to say hi to you for them," I smiled. "My parents told me about the Path to El Dorado," I said in a hushed tone.  
"Wait... I thought the way there was a map?" Jack asked.

"Yes, that is also what I thought..." Subodai mentioned. "Cao Tzu, father of Caoism in Mooshu, was approached by Marco Pollo to inscribe Mooshuese symbols on the Map to Shangri La before he split the map into 7 pieces and hid them."

"Shangri La?" I asked, confused.

"It is the Mooshu name for El Dorado..." Subodai said.

"Anyways, what did they say, Toby?" Jack asked me.

"The key to El Dorado is in Xol Akmul," I said. "It's in the depths of the Pyramid of Fire there."

"Interesting. I remember looting that old city with my old pirate gang. I assumed everyone looted it clean. I guess they missed something," Jack chuckled.

"I'll explain more on the way to Xol Akmul," I said.

My companions and I exited the cave, and Red Fish guided us back to town. "Did you find what you were seeking?" The shaman asked.

"Yes. Thank you for guiding us, sir." I said to the elderly water mole.

My companions and I were exhausted upon return to the Barstow at the secret dock. We immediately fell asleep in our cabins aboard the skiff.


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's Note: Sorry for the long wait between Ch 7 and Ch 8, y'all. The last few weeks have been pretty crazy, but I'm looking forward to putting out the rest of the chapters in this story!**

 **Chapter 8: Xol Akmul**

The next day had clear skies and a nice breeze. It was time to make our way to the west to go to Blood Shoals, a disreputable community across the channel from Skull Island. We reached the run-down settlement around mid-morning and tied up to the dock. Blood Shoals was made up of a series of wooden shacks that were well overdue for repair. A few palm trees swayed in the breeze and some Wharf Rats were at work on the docks and in the town. "The way to Xol Akmul is through that cave in the back of the town." Jack pointed to a cave in the rocky cliff face behind the beach the town was built on.

We walked past a few rats doing work on the docks. The rats gave us glares that would be considered rude by some. I kept my wallet and satchel on close guard walking through the seedy town.

"Where do ya think you're going?" A tall, lanky, skinny rat asked as we approached the cave. The rat had quite the dagger in his hand.

"We mean no harm, sir," Jack said. "We are merely explorers... who are going on a multi-day trip through the caves."

"If you're explorers, then you must have quite a large amount of gold. Hand over a hundred gold coins and I'll let you pass. Or else."

"Surely, there must be another way, sir. We worked hard for this gold, and..."

Suddenly, the rat pulled his dagger on Jack, who quickly pulled out his cutlass to block the dagger.

Subodai pulled out his sword to attack the rat for almost stabbing Jack. Suddenly, a much older rat came out of a building. He looked much less scrawny and he had a scraggly gray beard. One of his hands was a hook and one of his legs a peg. A couple of his teeth were gold. He definitely matched the old pirates in the classic tales sold in my uncle's bookshop.

"What's all this yammering?!" The old rat yelled. "Lasko, me boy, why are ye attacking these visitors?"

The scuffle between Jack and Lasko stopped. Both men sheathed their blades. "I'm sorry, Cap'n Ratbeard. Life is hard being a street rat out here. Hardly any gold to feed the wife and the ratlings. Temptation got the best of me when these explorers came into town."

"I'm sorry about the misunderstanding lads," Ratbeard said to us. "What bring ye to our humble town today?"

"We are going...uh... spelunking in the caves in the cliffs," I said, indicating the large cave opening.

"Ah, very well. Enjoy the caves. Beware the giant bat people," Ratbeard said ominiously in his gruff voice.

"Bat people?" Jack asked, confused.

"Har har! 'Tis just a joke, dog," Ratbeard chuckled. "Go on," Ratbeard gestured to the cave with his hand. Lasko and Ratbeard returned to their normal work for the day as we entered the cave. The cave was significantly cooler than the outside. The air smelled musty and damp. The cave was somewhat well lit by the sunlight streaming in through the entrance. We made our way along the sandy cave floor, which was interrupted by the occasional stalagmite. We followed this cave deep into the island before we reached an Aztecan looking door.

"Here we are. The door to Xol Akmul," Jack said, illuminating the door with a torch.

"How do we open it?" I asked, putting my hand on the door.

"Beats me," Jack said. "The door was wide open years ago when we looted Xol Akmul."

"Do you remember any details as to why the door may be open then but closed now?" Subodai asked.

"AHA! Of course. We looted the city at night. Perhaps the door will open when the sun drops below the horizon," Jack suggested.

I sat down on the sandy cave floor and pulled out my mom's journal to read to pass the time until night. I read a bit about Xol Akmul and how it was the ancient capital of Azteca's colonies in Skull Island before I lulled off to sleep.

I woke up to a loud rumble. I saw the door slide open. Jack and Subodai were asleep on the sand as I was. I walked over and woke them. "Guys, the door is open," I said excitedly.

Jack got up and dusted the sand off his trousers, as did Subodai. Jack relit his torch and we continued. After a couple minutes of walking we reached a grotto. The last remains of orange sunlight filtered in through a hole in the ceiling. "That must be the way up to the city," Subodai concluded. "There's a basket and winch. That must be the way up."

"The basket looks really unstable and weak. We should send up the lightest person," Jack said, before both my companions looked at me. I rolled my eyes before walking over to sit in the basket. Jack pulled the rope attached to a pulley to hoist me up. Once above, I was to find a way to get Jack and Subodai up. At the top of the winch, I found myself in a city overgrown with trees. There were several temples and pyramids in a valley surrounded by hills. The full moon shone up above in the starry night sky. A light orange glow in the west was the sun's last rays from a long hot day. I heard footsteps and I turned around. Two raptors in Aztecan garb tossed a net at me and took me captive. I shouted for help, but it was no use as Jack and Subodai would never make it out of the well. The purple raptors, who identified themselves as Kawil Raptors, dragged me to a small circle of houses that looked a bit more modern when compared to the rest of the city. A few dinosaurs dwelled here. It was a surprise to see living beings in this ancient lost city.

"Hello, Itzam Halach, I bring you a... human who came out of the Well of Stars," one of the Kawil Raptors told the yellow pterodactyl chieftain.

"Was he doing anything to..." Itzam Halach began.

"Throw him in the cage!" A triceratops loudly interrupted the chief. "He is human just like that wicked Morganthe who destroyed our home!"

I was let out of the net. "I'm sorry for intruding on your territory, but I assumed this city was uninhabited."

"Ah, I see," Halach began. "Many centuries ago, my people, the Aztecosaurs, came to Skull Island, mining the gold out of the ground to bring back to Azteca. Then... the water moles and troggies attacked, and we ran out of supplies. Life became hard. We returned to Azteca, leaving our dead behind in the temples as mummies. However, my small clan came through the portal to this city, as a human witch named Morganthe has summoned Xibalba, the great asteroid, which is now blighting our world."

"Sir, I promise you I mean no harm. A lot has changed in Skull Island. There are a lot more people in this world now. I mean, some pirate gangs may have looted your city before I was born, but I am here simply to explore the Pyramid of Fire."

"Very well. However, we wish not to meet the other inhabitants of this world. Please keep our clan secret. We wish to live in peace."

"Alright. I'll keep Xol Akmul a secret, but I may need to borrow a ladder to help my friends get out of the well."

Itzam Halach gave a few orders to another dinosaur, likely a parasaur, in a language I didn't undertstand. The other dinosaur walked over and grabbed a ladder leaning on one of the houses. "I follow you?" He asked in broken English. I nodded in agreement.

I began walking west towards the Well of Stars. The dinosaur followed me. When we reached the well, the parasaur dropped the ladder down and I thanked him before he walked away.

Within a minute, Jack and Subodai had climbed up. "What took so long?"

"Some raptors took me. It turns out some Aztecosaurs returned here to escape Morganthe's reign of terror over Azteca. But you guys can't tell anyone about Xol Akmul being inhabited. I swore an oath. The Aztecans here let me go only if I do no harm here."

"What a colorful imagination, lad," Jack said, not believing what I said.

"But... it's all tr..." I began.

"Now, where is this 'Pyramid of Fire'?" Subodai asked, interrupting my explanation. I rolled my eyes.

I opened my mom's journal and found the Xol Akmul map. "It's a bit north of this well," I said, pointing at the largest pyramid on the map, which was the destination we were looking for. We began walking north. It was a warm night and the city, with very few inhabitants, was very dark, illuminated only by the glow of the full moon overhead. The darkness of the night allowed for thousands of stars to be visible in the sky.

We reached an area where the path went into a dark grotto surrounded by trees. "This must be the way to the pyramid," Subodai said. We entered the grotto, which was a large clearing. At the clearing's center was a massive pyramid. Larger than any I had seen in the Isle of Doom.

"Oof. We have to climb all those stairs," I groaned.

After what seemed like hiking up two hundred stairs, we reached the pyramid entrance. This ledge had quite a view of the forested valley and the hills and mountains in the background. I lit a torch before we entered the dark pyramid.

"So, where to, Toby?" Jack asked.

"We need to find the deepest depths of the pyramid and find a jaguar statue. His mouth has the key to the El Dorado door."


	9. Chapter 9

**Here comes another chapter! Happy Memorial Day guys. ALSO, I fixed some typos that occurred in earlier chapters.**

 **Chapter 9: The Pyramid of Fire**

The entrance chamber was quite barren, with a passage in the back leading down. The tunnel was very dark as we walked down the sloped hall. "Do you know where you are going?" Subodai asked.

"Nope," I shrugged. "All I know is that we have to go down."

"If we get lost..." Jack sighed... "I'd rather not die in here."

"Neither do I..." Subodai said, matter-of-factly.

After a half hour of walking, we reached the temple's main chamber, a room with waterfalls of lava and a giant lava pool below an elevated stone walkway.

"This is about as far down as it goes," Jack put his hands on his hips and looked around the chamber.

"Not quite..." Subodai saw a door off to the left leading to a side chamber. Toby found an identical one off to the right.

"Let's split up and meet back here in a few minutes," Jack suggested. "I'll search this chamber. You two can look in the other two. We found large sticks on the stony floor of the old temple to use as torches, and lit them using Jack's old torch. I reached the entrance to the right chamber, which had an old Aztecan script. Using my mom's journal to translate, it read a poem: "The door to this room will open right when the moon is full and bright tonight."

Luckily, we came to the temple on the night of a full moon, so the door was already open for me. Inside the Full Moon chamber, there were pedestals in a circle around a trap door in the floor in the room's center. Each of the eight pedestals had a symbol that looked like a moon phase. The trap door had a riddle on it: "To open the door to the Jaguar Pool below, use the key on the lunar pedestal with the most glow."

What the heck does that mean? I thought. I soon realized they meant the full moon pedestal, as this is the Full Moon Chamber. I found the full moon pedestal and found a skeleton key made of stone on the top. The key fit in the trap door. Now to go down to the Jaguar Pool. I assume the "Jaguar Pool" is where the golden jaguar statue is. At the bottom of these stairs, I came to a somewhat small chamber. The room was mostly occupied by a pool with a faint golden glow coming out of the clear, dark water. "This is the place," I said to myself, as I looked around the small room. I walked up to the edge of the water and looked down while kneeling. I could see a golden object down below with one purple eye and the other eye was green. I stripped down to my trousers and got into the water, which was nice and cool. The jaguar looked to be about fifteen feet down, or about three times my height. I took a deep breath and held it while I swam down. In the water, I couldn't see much, as it was quite dark, however, I could see the jaguar's glow. In the mouth, there was a key. I grabbed it with my right hand and quickly began to swim back up to the surface. As my head rose above the water, I panted to catch my breath and swam to the edge where I placed the key on the stone floor and hoisted myself out of the water. I quickly put my dry clothes and boots back on and stuffed the key in my pocket to return to the Chamber of Fire where my companions no doubt waited for me.

"There you are..." Subodai said as I came out of the Full Moon Chamber. "I was beginning to get worried."

"I got the key," I said, running up to my companions.

"Why are you soaking wet?" Jack asked, crossing his arms.

"I had to go for a little swim to get this key," I smirked, ringing some water out of my pants.

"Well, I found an interesting door in the back of this massive lava chamber. This appears to be the main room of the temple," Jack noted.

"Of course... that must be the El Dorado door! And this key unlocks it!" I said excitedly. I followed Jack to a large stone door on the other side of the room. We had to pass over a bridge over the lava lake far below, and the heat helped dry my clothes. "Now, where is the keyhole?"

My companions and I searched for the keyhole, but to no avail. "How do we unlock a door with a key but no keyhole?" Subodai pondered. The key in my hand was quite large, so the keyhole would have to be large as well.

"What if it's not near the door?" I asked. "I'll go check around the room," I said, walking back to the other end of the Chamber of Fire. Suddenly, I saw a crevasse in the stone wall of the temple that looked large enough for the eight-inch key I had in my hand. Only problem... it was above the arch of the chamber exit, which was nearly twenty feet high. Neither Jack nor Subodai would've been able to hoist me up high enough.

"Need help, friend?" Subodai asked, walking over to me.

"I doubt you can hoist me up twenty feet..." I replied.

"Maybe there's another way up..." Jack pondered, looking at the wall around the keyhole and exit. "Hmm... some of these stones look a bit loose. They make a pattern up to the keyhole. Almost like a staircase!" Jack noted. "The loose stones are the smaller grey ones, on the right side of the exit."

I touched one of the stones. It did feel loose, as there was no mortar to hold it into place. "How do we make them move?" I wondered, leaning on the wall.

"Hmm... this stone looks odd..." Subodai said. Jack and I walked over to the left side to look at what Subodai found. "This one is red and sticking out of the wall. How did we not notice this before. It is quite obvious." The Mongolian horse pressed the red stone and we heard a rumbling. The grey stones on the right side began to move out from the wall, revealing their length. It made a somewhat narrow staircase up to the keyhole. I ran over and walked up the stairs. I inserted the skeleton key into the lock mechanism and the El Dorado door at the other end of the chamber opened.

"Haha! You did it lad!" Jack cheered. I climbed back down and the three of us walked towards the door to El Dorado.

"Mom warned in her diary that El Dorado is filled with all kinds of danger. So whatever we see in there, be careful," I said.

"We will stay by your side," Subodai nodded. "And I hope you meet your mother and father inside..."

"Oooh... I cannot wait to meet Jenny and Adam again... even if they're just spirits," Jack smiled. "Let's go."

* * *

 **This chapter was a lot of fun. I can't wait to post the next chapter next week! :D**


	10. Chapter 10

**Author's Note: The story gets more interesting at this point :)**

 **Thanks for reading y'all and I hope you enjoy this chapter.**

* * *

Chapter 10: Into El Dorado:

Jack, Subodai, and I stepped through the door to El Dorado. Stepping through the other side, we entered El Dorado. The city was huge. The sun was rising in the east, and the early rays caused the golden buildings to sparkle. The city appeared similar to those in pictures I've seen of Azteca, except everything was golden. The city was dead quiet and empty. However, my parents walked before us.

"Mom! Dad!" I ran up to the tall people. "You're ALIVE?"

"Hello, Toby, and hello Jack. We simply came here to El Dorado, to keep it safe. I see you followed my instructions to come here. And you brought a friend," Jenny, my mother, said.

"That's Subodai. He's been traveling with us," I replied. "He's from Mooshu."

"Hello. Nice to meet you," Subodai bowed.

"Jenny! Adam! Long time no see," Jack smiled upon seeing his former shipmates.

"Nice to see you too, Jack," my father said.

"Why? Why did you come here without me?!" I asked.

"El Dorado is far too dangerous for a young child! I wasn't going to bring you here. But now that you're a teenager, you will be somewhat safe," my mother said, hugging me again. "We came here to protect El Dorado from the Armada. They are looking for this place."

"The Armada? They had Subodai and I captive," I explained.

"The Armada captured you? They know more than I thought," my mother said. "They must've learned of our original crew's voyage here."

"They must be looking for the map," Jack said.

"Yes, we created that map. It is the very... very... long route we had to take originally before finding the shortcut from Xol Akmul. The good news is that the Armada will have a very difficult time finding all the map pieces. They are hidden so well, and it's broken into seven pieces."

"So, how have you been living here?" Toby asked his parents, who looked pretty rough around the edges.

"It's certainly been hard but we've done it for years. Food is plentiful, but you have to kill or search for it. It's also important that you avoid waking the mechanical giants," my dad said.

"Indeed, husband," my mom said. "Those darn things are quite tough. Made of solid gold."

"Mechanical Giants? I read about them in your journal," I remarked.

"Ah, that old journal... I remember it like it was yesterday," my mom softly smiled. "I wrote some very harsh things about El Dorado, and not a single thing..." my dad gave my mom a glare. "Most of it is unexaggerated truth, so I understand if you'd want to return to Port Regal and live a..."

I hugged my mom. "Don't be crazy, mom. I'd rather live and adventurous life here than that stuffy old town!"

My dad laughed. "He did inherit your adventurous attitude, Jen."

"We went through a wringer just to find you old chaps," Jack put his hands on his hips.

"Subodai, will you stay? Jack?" I asked my friends.

"Of course," Jack said, "It would be an honor."

"Indeed. This world may be much more hideous than Mooshu, but I cannot abandon the call to battle!" Subodai shouted.

"Come with me, guys," mom led us to the building my parents were using as a house. The golden building had a stone block interior. The walls had vines growing on them despite being in relative darkness. There were pools of water fed by fountains coming out of the wall. The water was remarkably clean. We each got a room on account of the fact that there was plenty of space in the quiet, desolate city. I unpacked my things and mom helped me set up a hammock in the corner for sleeping.

After being awake all night, I was pretty exhausted. I went to sleep in my new hammock for a few hours.

* * *

I awoke in the early afternoon. I sat up and rubbed my eyes. It was a hot tropical afternoon. I stepped outside and was immediately greeted with a blinding light and heat unlike what existed in Skull Island. The golden exterior of El Dorado's buildings glowed under the afternoon sun, not to mention the yellow metal absorbed a lot of the sun's heat.

"Hello, son," my mom greeted me. The dark-haired woman took a long sip of water. Jack and Subodai were also there as well. "Are you three ready for the tour?"

"You bet," I said. My companions nodded in agreement.

* * *

"The first stop is the Central Plaza," mom said after we walked a quarter mile to the center of the city. We arrived in a very large plaza of golden stones. On the sides, the streets went out in all directions. I could see how easy it would be to get lost here. At the northern, or left, end of the plaza was a large temple pyramid. "That temple is the main religious center of the city." A channel carrying water flowed through the center of the plaza from twin waterfalls coming out of the temple. "This water is perfectly pure and clean. Come taste some." I walked over and filled my hands with the cool, clear liquid. I gulped it down. It was the most refreshing water I had ever drank.

"Refreshing," I responded. "And El Dorado is amazing, mom. I can't believe this place exists."

"Honestly, neither can I... and I've been here 8 years, plus that week I was here with Marco Pollo!" mom laughed.

"Can we go into the temple?" Jack asked. "I would like to pillag- I mean- explore the inside of it."

"Actually, that's not a good idea. I went in there with Pollo's crew and, well, the ancient people that built this place guarded it well! As soon as we entered the temple, the giant mechanical titans the El Doradoese people built to guard the city came to life."

"Oh wow. Tell us more," Jack said.

"I wish I could, but Marco Pollo had us swear an oath, so yeah, I can't say more about the giant mechanical sentinels."

"Oh, bummer," I sighed.

"Let's move on with the tour, shall we?" mom started walking.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11: The El Dorado Tour**

After walking a few blocks south, we reached the shining dock made of solid gold. Like the rest of the city, it showed no sign of rust despite exposure to rain, sun, wind, and plants for a thousand years.

"This is where Marco Pollo's crew landed twenty years ago. You can see the whole city from here," mom said. I turned around and saw the glowing buildings and step pyramids under the bright sky dotted with clouds. "Out in the skyway, which is relatively empty, there is the one stormgate that opens once a year on the winter solstice. Marco Pollo found the equation that calculates the location of the stormgate's opposite end and included it on his map. It was written in an ancient Mooshuese language."

"Ah, yes," Subodai agreed. "When Marco Pollo visited the mystic Cao Tzu in Mooshu."

"Indeed, Subodai. That was where Marco Pollo went after we returned from El Dorado," mom explained.

"Who all came with you, mom?" I asked.

Jenny, my mom, pulled a paper out of her satchel. "This brings back so many memories," she said. "This is the photo of the crew... well, all of the crew except Gazpaccio. He was the brilliant mechanic who took the picture with the camera he invented!" The paper she had was a black and white photograph taken in front of El Dorado's central plaza temple.

"Wow!" I responded. "Who are the others in the picture? The ones who came with you?"

"Let's see, there's me... Oh, there's Marco Pollo. He was quite the explorer," mom pointed to a tall plump chicken in renaissance style garb in the center of the photo. "There's Chistopher Clark, the navigator," she indicated a shorter chicken in glasses holding the map to El Dorado. "Erika the Red is this bear off to the left. She's holding quite a big bag of gold. Also holding the map is Egg Foo Yung of Mooshu. Let's see. That big fella in the back is Argos. He's a cyclops from Aquila. He's not the smartest guy but great in a fight. He steered the ship. There's me, just to the right of Marco Pollo. I was much better looking back then, I guess. And," mom laughed, "how can I forget Catbeard! He's the white cat off to the far right."

I suddenly burst into laughter. "Catbeard...?" I muttered in between gasps for air. "He... came with you to El Dorado?"

"Yes... what's so funny, my boy?"

"It's just that... I know that old rogue. And he's not exactly fit for exploring remote corners of the Spiral," I laughed. "He's a bit more suited for domestic life if you ask me."

"Haha, yeah. That old cat just lives on his ship the _Catspaw_ with Mr. Norrington eating pickled herring and drinking sparkling water," Jack said.

"Really? Cause, twenty years ago, he was an excellent swashbuckler. The years must've taken a toll on him. And who's Mr. Norrington?" Mom asked Jack.

"Catbeard's lover," Jack answered bluntly.

"His... lover?" mom asked. "I didn't realize Catbeard was... well... That discussion will be saved for a later time," mom ruffled my hair.

"I already know, uncle told me ab-" I began.

"Let's go visit the library!"

* * *

Just east of the central plaza was the library. My jaw dropped as I entered. The shelves were a dozen feet high and stocked with thousands upon thousands of books and scrolls. It was the biggest library I had ever seen. I could spend three lifetimes in here reading. "Impressed?" mom asked me.

"Mhm..." I mumbled. "I know where I'm gonna be spending my time."

"I've read a few of the scrolls in here. I've never been much of a reader, though," mom laughed.

"Jenny, check this out," Jack pointed to an aged parchment on a pedestal near the library's entrance.

Subodai, mom, and I joined Jack. "Ah, this is the original copy of the map Marco Pollo made," mom put her gloved hand on the old paper. "He made a copy that he took with him back to the spiral and left the original here for safety."

* * *

We approached a small square. The square was filled with dilapidated market stalls. "This is the El Dorado market! This is where the people who lived here traded for goods. Don't try looting the place. The stuff decomposed or was eaten by animals long ago," mom said, presenting the area to us.

"It's getting late," Jack mentioned. He was right, the sun was beginning to go down in what I assumed was west.

* * *

We reached the dwelling area as the sun dipped below the horizon. It was starting to get chilly. The metallic plating covering the golden city heated up easily during the day and easily released it at night. The lack of human light pollution meant that millions of stars were visible in the clear night sky. The city was shrouded in complete darkness except the moon and stars. I grabbed my jacket from my room before sitting between mom and Jack at the bonfire.

"Mom, how long before you tell us about the giant mechanical sentinels?!" I asked, growing impatient. I had been curious all day.

"Oh, I suppose I could tell you boys. Especially since you're here in El Dorado now." Mom began. "El Dorado is a shining city, but it's far from empty. When we were exploring the city, Marco Pollo was enthralled by the central temple. We entered the place, but we awakened some massive creature the El Doradoans left behind millenia ago. Giant mechanical sentinels appeared out of the wall. We all took as much gold as we could and hightailed it back to the docks. We thought we lost the sentinel, but alas, we we cast off from the golden dock, the giant boarded the _Santo Oro_! We fought the thing off, but barely survived. Jack, Subodai, and Toby, promise me you won't step into that temple."

"Of... of course," I said. "I won't step into the temple." I said, somewhat regretfully. A part of me, likely the immature part, was curious. But, I agreed to stay out of it, out of the safety of the group, and for my mom. And, that day was the beginning of my life in the golden city of El Dorado.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12: Armada Antics**

 _Third Person POV_

Deacon stepped into the Palace Atrium in Florenza, the capitol city of Valencia. The automaton was unsure how to confront Kane in the Duomo chamber. He had failed in his orders from the kingdom's Supreme Commander. He could be exiled, or worse, dismantled and send back to the factory as scraps for the next wave of clockwork soldiers. All because the greatest threat to the Grand Design had escaped Deacon's clutches under his watch.

"Deacon, you may enter," a guard said. "Kane has been patiently awaiting your return."

Deacon marched up the stairs and entered the Duomo chamber. Kane and Queen were at the sides of the throne. King Casimir and Queen Margherita were away on a diplomatic trip to Monquista, and the royal family's trusted advisors were in charge. "Hello, Deacon. How was your voyage from Skull Island?"

"It was quite swift and I am glad to be back in Valencia."

"That is excellent. Now, where is the child? You were supposed to capture him for me."

"Which child?" Deacon asked.

"Don't play with me, Deacon. I ordered you to go to Skull Island and capture the child of Jenny so that we can interrogate him and find his mother's map piece. The children always crack easily."

"Yes, I captured him, and detained him in a holding cell."

"Excellent, comrade Deacon. Please bring him to me."

"I cannot do that," Deacon said. Kane's expression turned from a smile to that of intense anger.

"YES, YOU WILL! I am your boss. Do as I say!"

"Dear..." Queen said softly to her mechanical husband. "Deacon, return to your ship and retrieve the child."

"I cannot do that," Deacon repeated.  
"And why is that?" Queen asked.

"The child escaped."

Kane's and Queen's eyes turned red. "He what?" Kane asked.

"The child escaped. That darn Boochbeard and his friend Gandry attacked my ship and freed the child and my other prisoners."

"You incompetent scrap of metal!" Kane said.

"I agree," Queen said. "Deacon, shut yourself down."

"Yes, your grace," Deacon said. He powered down and his head drooped. A team of 3 battle angels came forth and carried the incapacitated machine away. Deacon was going to be reprogrammed at the factory to be a more competent Armada emissary.

"Very well," Queen said.

"At least our other sons are more promising," Kane sighed.

"Hello, sir," Phule said, entering the Duomo chamber.

"What are you doing in here?" Kane sighed. "You were my mistake, Phule. Your mechanisms are misaligned and your circuitry is faulty. I should have you meet a similar fate to Deacon just for exist..."

"I have caught a cat," Phule said. "A cat with a map piece."

A couple of Phule's officers entered with Catbeard in chains. "I underestimated you, my son," Kane grinned.

"Let me go!" Catbeard wailed. "I haven't been groomed in weeks, and I am famished. I need my pickled..."

"Quiet, cat!" Kane said. "Extract his map piece!"

"I don't have it!" Catbeard said.

"We searched his whole ship," Phule said. "It wasn't there," the two-faced clockwork then switched tones. "but his ship was quite delightful."

"Enough!" Kane groaned. "Phule, power down." Phule then powered down.

"But, husband..." Queen said.

"I know, my dear wife, he brought us this prisoner. I am rewarding him by having him repaired," Kane explained as some battle angels removed Phule. "NOW, Mr. Catbeard. Tell me, if you do not have your map piece to El Dorado, WHERE- IS- IT?!"

"Hah," the white cat scoffed. "Like it'd tell you, toy soldier."

"We will give you as much pickled herring in prison as you'd want," Queen offered.

"Ooh, deal!" Catbeard smiled, rubbing his paws together. "It's in Gilbert and Sullivan's shop in Port Regal. The Savoy Mercantile!"

"That came out awfully easy," Queen sighed. "How do we know you're not lying?"

"I swear, I'm not! Pirate's honour..."

"PULL HIS TAIL!" Kane commanded.

The guards holding Catbeard grabbed his tail, yanking it upwards. "YOWWWW! THat hURTS!" Catbeard yelped. "I lost it to Captain Gunn in a bet. It's in his tomb!"

"Very good," Kane said, as the guards released Catbeard's tail. "We'll have a nice cozy prison cell for you," Kane said.

"Do I get my pickled herring?"

"Not after that pathetic lie you told during interrogation," Kane scoffed. Catbeard frowned. "Take him away!"

"Our plan is going quite well," Queen said once the Duomo was empty.

"Yes, my wife," Kane said. "We will reach El Dorado in only a few years."

* * *

 _In Mooshu_

Rooke entered the chamber of General Tso. The large dragoon was immediately greeted by the clucking of the chicken from the side chamber. "Hello, General Tso," Rooke said. Rooke was the only being that has ever truly intimidated the Mooshuese General, besides the Emperor Yoshihito himself. Rooke wore a black tricorne hat, a metallic uniform, and a mask with gold plating around the eyes. His boots were steel and he carried a massive halberd and a red shield with a gear in the center. All of his appearance had a gold trim. Unlike the other Armada dragoons, he did not have a massive arm cannon.

"Hello, Rooke. Y-you're back."

"Indeed, General. Do you have what I asked for?"

"Of-of course, sir. Here is Egg Foo Yung's piece of the map. I hired a ninja pig to..."

"I don't care how you got it. Just don't blame me if anyone asks or confronts you. Is that clear?"

"Ye-yes sir." General Tso handed Rooke the map piece before walking back to his pet chicken where he sat on the floor and petted the animal. Rooke walked back out of the inner chamber, causing the floor to shake under his enormous size.

* * *

 _In Cool Ranch_

Bishop's ship approached the Motherlode Mine in Haunted Skyway. The skies below glowed green in the dusky night sky. The chill wind blew dust from the rocky bluffs in large swirls in the air just above the ground. The Armada ship tied up to the dock. Bishop disembarked the ship. The clockwork mage wore a red top hat, red and black robes, and had the beaked mask of a 13th century plague doctor. He carried a staff with gears at the top and his eyes were covered by metallic mech goggles. "We shall go," Bishop pointed towards the mine entrance. He walked off the dock onto the gravelly shore.

"The door is locked, my leige," an armada sniper stated.

"That shouldn't be a problem," Bishop grabbed his staff. He casted a spell that broke the door. The Armada goons entered the old dusty motherlode mine.

The mechanical men soon reached a collapsed tunnel, but Bishop easily blasted the rocks out of the way with a spell. At the bottom of the mine shaft was Captain Blood's lair, located on a large dock over a lake of cold spring groundwater. The _Santo Oro_ , the ship Marco Pollo and his crew took to El Dorado, was floating in the water. An armada marine used his halberd to smash the lock of Captain Blood's treasre. When Bishop saw what was inside, he smiled. It was a piece of Marco Pollo's map. The piece previously owned by the navigator, Christopher Clark.

"Excellent," Bishop rubbed his hands together. "Kane will be very pleased."


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13: Tales of El Dorado**

 **Author's Note: This is a chapter of vignettes that take place over a longer period of time.**

Lucky Jack Russell:

We had been in El Dorado for about a week. I was enjoying a cold glass of yum with Adam Voss after a long day of looting the golden city. It was nice to be back with my old shipmate and comrade from back in the times of The War with Polaris. "So, Jack what were you up to these past 14 years?"

"Not much. I joined the Frogfather's Syndicate. That didn't go too well. I ended up in a Monquistan jail, until your son saved me."

"I always knew ye'd end up a criminal," Adam playfully punched my shoulder. "What did you do to end up there?"

"I joined a few frogs for a heist of the Presidio to steal spices. The frogs abandoned me and I was surrounded. I spent two weeks in that prison, waiting for a rescue. I was expecting a frog, but no, a boy that has a striking resemblance to you when you were a teenager showed up. I followed him because I knew he'd lead me to you."

"I'm glad you were able to find me, old pal."

"Same. I missed our time as comrades in the war. You were always better than me. Better at strategy, better at aiming, and better at kissing up to our generals."

"Don't say that," Adam laughed. "Jack, you were great too. Very talented with that cutlass of yours. And, you were great with the _fair maidens_ we met along the way," he winked.

"That much is true," I laughed. "I helped you find the woman who's now your wife."

"Speaking of Jenny, there's something I want to show you. Something she doesn't know about."

"Oh," I said, as Adam led me into one of the buildings. We climbed up a set of stairs and into a different room. In the center was a huge pit full of gold coins. "What the?"

"I found this place when we first came."

"What do you do in here?" I asked, confused.

"This," Adam smirked before running and jumping into the coins. "Join me?"

"Swimming in gold coins?" I laughed. "That sounds like that old bloke Ebenezer Scrooge."

"That old dog's got nothing on me and Jenny now," Adam laughed as I joined him.

After a few minutes of... well... swimming in gold, I heard a voice. "What is going on in here? Jack?"

Adam's face reached the surface. "Ah, hello dear."

"What the devil's going on here?" Jenny asked, stifling a laugh.

"We're just..." Adam began, but began to blush. "We're swimming in a giant vault of gold coins! Care to join, dear?"

"Nay. Toby and I are cooking supper. Join us in 15 minutes," Jenny said before turning around. "Actually, that does look like a lot of fun," the woman changed her mind.

Jenny grabbed a very long vine and used it to swing into the gold coin pit.

* * *

 **Author's Note: I feel that I haven't given Subodai enough attention in this story, so here's a longer vignette about him :)**

Subodai:

It was a rainy afternoon in El Dorado, the city we had been calling home for a month now. Heavy thunderstorms filled the skies and rain soaked the city. I was in the library with Toby, my young friend. "Subodai," the boy said eagerly. "I found this book. It's about Mongolia, your home, back in Mooshu. I can't read it though," he blushed. "I only know the words you taught me."

"Ah, nice find," I took the book into my hand. "This is a national treasure; the book is called The Amber Horde and was written by Kublai Khan himself. He lived centuries ago and was a legend. All of the Khans since have used him as a role model."

"Cool," Toby sat down next to me. "Have you ever wanted to be a Khan... like Kublai?"

"And get caught up in all of the politics?" I laughed. "No thanks." I began to flip through the book. A certain page caught my attention. It was the set of rules to achieve the rank of _Kheshig_ , a high-ranking military officer. "There is a rank I once had hopes to become, back when I was a young colt, before I was exiled." Toby looked at me, curious. "I've always wanted to be _Kheshig_ ," I said, looking at the brush paintings of the noble horses in their armor.

"Let's do it, then," Toby stood up. "I'll help you accomplish these qualifications."

"Is such a thing even possible?" I asked him.

"It's worth a shot."

"Let's see... conquer, or discover, new territory is the first step."

"Check," Toby said. "You've discovered El Dorado."

"Second is defeat a dozen-dozen enemies. That was the easy part," I laughed. "Already did that one. Next is to craft a plume of feathers for a helmet. The feathers are typically from a great raven," I read aloud. "Where do we find a raven?"

"We may need to improvise," Toby smirked. "It's far too warm here for ravens, but perhaps a scarakeet will do."

I heard a screech from a high ledge in the library. "There's one of the infernal birds now."

Toby and I went upstairs to the ledge. "SKREEE!" the bird took off, flying outside into the rain.

"Darn, he got away," Toby groaned.

I examined the nest it left behind. A fistful of feathers was left behind. "I found what I was looking for."

"What's next?" Toby asked.

"Third, and finally, I will need to have pillaged enough wealth to pay tribute to a Khan for sponsorship. The Khan may have a personal list of requirements for those he promotes to Kheshig."

I sat down and opened the book to Kublai Khan's self-portrait, and I began to meditate. I lit a candle. Not exactly a candle of freshly picked snow sage from the Paths of Penance, but coconut oil would have to do.

"Hello, Subodai," I heard Kublai Khan say. The spirit of the original Khan appeared in front of me.

"I am humbled to be in your presense," I bowed my head. "I wish to be a Kheshig. What do you need me to do?"

"Hmm... You have apparently satisfied all the qualifications. Firstly, your friend needs to go. He is not of our kind." Toby heard this and stood up to leave without saying a word. I hoped he wouldn't be too upset with me about this later. "Next, you need a helmet. What else did you think the plume of feathers is for?" the elderly general laughed.

"Anything else besides that?" I asked.

"Ask when your helmet is on your head," Kublai Khan's ghost vanished.

I sighed. Khans were always hard to please. I began to read about proper helmet crafting. I fell asleep for a bit, as the text was dull and boring. Toby returned and tapped my shoulder.

"Hey, Subodai. I got you a helmet," he held out a metal helmet, and it had a spot for the feather plume on top. It was perfect as I inserted the feathers.

"What? How?"

"There's a magic forge in the library. All I needed to say was 'make a Mongolian Kheshig helmet' and, boom, it makes it."

"Very nice helmet," Kublai said as his ghost reappeared. "Now, attack your friend!"

Toby dropped his daggers. "Hit me, Subodai. I'll be fine, I can use the life fountain to heal any wounds."

I raised my sword. I closed my eyes, as I couldn't bear to watch. Then suddenly, I came to my senses. I coudn't hurt my friend. Not after he saved me from Deacon, and especially not after he made this helmet. I dropped my sword. "I cannot do this."

"Subodai. I want you to get your rank," Toby said.

I turned to the Khan's ghost. "Not if it means hurting someone I care about. I mean no disrespect, sir, but I cannot do this."

"You have passed, Subodai. It takes true courage to stand up for what is right," Kublai said. I put on my new helmet.

"Thank you, Great Khan." I bowed.

* * *

Toby Voss:

I was in the library one day, nearly 2 years after coming to El Dorado. A certain scroll caught my eye. The paper was golden colored unlike the beige of the other books. One that I hadn't seen before. I picked up the papyrus scroll. Strangely, it didn't have the usual coating of dust the other books had. It had or have been picked up recently, right? Either Jack, Subodai, or one of my parents had to have taken it. I took it and sat on the floor, with my back leaning against the wall.

The contents of the scroll were immaculate to say the least. Dozens of drawings existed on the paper. Drawings of the golden giants. A great curiosity arose in my mind. These mechanical giants, according to the schematics here, were more advanced than anything built by Valencia or even Marleybone. I then wondered where they were before I remembered my mom's words about one being at the temple. But I also remembered taking an oath to never awaken one.

 _I'd have to wait until night when the others are asleep to investigate_ , I thought before stuffing the scroll in a pocket in my trousers.

"Toby, dear, it's almost supper time. We should head home," my mom said, walking towards me in the aisle. "Oh, what's that in your pocket?"

"Nothing," I said quickly, obviously blushing. "Just an interesting scroll I picked up."

My mom glanced over at the shelf. "That scroll is certainly important looking. What's it about?" she asked, a bit suspicious.

"It's a... a..." I paused. "A literary masterpiece by the poet... uh... Zultun the Great." I lied. It was probably obvious to my mother. I pretended to re-shelf the scroll, but instead I kept it in my pocket, more hidden than before.

That night, everyone went to bed after having a few too many glasses of yum. I, however, was ready to find the great golden sentinels. I know, I probably should obey my mother's wishes, but I was fifteen years old and very curious.

I quietly tiptoed away from the dwelling. The night was clear and cold. The normally pitch black of the night was illuminated by the full moon's glow. Within a few minutes, I reached the main plaza.

I turned and faced the temple before taking a deep breath. I stepped forward into the darkness, using a torch as a light. I reviewed the schematics. Each of these sentinels seemed to be powered by two objects, one is The Heart and the other The Mind. The Mind is capable of scheming and battling while the Heart is capable of compassion and empathy. The Mind is triggered by foreign objects from outside El Dorado while the Heart is triggered by... The page is torn from this point. I became fearful, as it seems these Sentinels cannot be tamed. I walked deeper into the temple. I heard the fluttering and screeching of bats overhead.

Suddenly, I heard a mechanism turn on. I saw a pair of red eyes from the darkness ahead of me. A sentinel had awoken. I felt the floor vibrate and a giant golden automaton stood up in front of me. "H-hello, giant sentinel, sir! I mean n-no harm!" I said nervously, my entire body was shaking.

The sentinel wouldn't listen to reason. I saw a golden fist lurch forward. I ducked to avoid getting hit. As the fist retracted, I got up and ran outside, dropping the scroll containing their schematics for safety. Panting, I turned around and saw the sentinel run too. He was easily over 30 feet high. I saw his eyes glow brightly and pointed right at me. I somersaulted, narrowly avoiding a laser eye blast. I ran over to a vine covered building and used a vine to climb to the top. The building was about 20 feet high. The sentinel soon noticed me, and brought the side of his giant fist down. I dodged, and grabbed onto his hand. I was lifted high up into the air as he raised his arm. I slid down onto his shoulder, figuring somewhere near his head was a way inside to look at the mechanisms.

I realized that was a stupid move, when the sentinel turned his head, and I was right in front of his eyes. I was blasted into the plaza, and I blacked out, going completely unconscious when I hit the golden-paved street.

* * *

Jenny Voss:

I woke up to a hot and humid morning. After washing up and stepping outside, I realized my son, Toby, was not awake yet. Was he still asleep? It was unlike him to sleep in. I checked his room, but he wasn't there. Did he already go to the library _before_ breakfast? _VERY_ unlike him. I began to get worried, so I left a note for the others and went to the plaza.

I burst into tears as I saw Toby on the ground. His clothes looked tattered and smoldered and he had many scrapes on his face, arms and torso. His eyes were closed. What the hell happened here? I thought. I then remembered the library scene from yesterday, he found that accursed scroll about the sentinels. He must've awoken one despite my warnings.

I checked his heartbeat, which was faint. He needed a life fountain and fast, but I would need help moving the fifteen-year-old. He was no longer the small child I knew long ago. I rushed back to the dwelling, where Subodai and Jack. "Come with me! Toby's been injured!" The horse and dog immediately came to help me. We brought him to the life fountain near the dock. Some of the scrapes and bruises vanished when we placed him in the water. The teenager sat up, coughing after opening his emerald green eyes.

"Mom, Jack, Subodai," he said, his voice raspy. "You saved me."

"Yes. What happened? Why were you hurt?" I asked. Jack and Subodai left as Toby took off his boots and socks as well as his hat.

"I went into the temple," Toby said, a tear rolling down his cheek. "I awoke one of the sentinels. I know I shouldn't have. I was curious."

"You could have gotten all of us killed. You're lucky you survived. It took all eight of us to take down that thing when I came here with Marco Pollo."

"Could you please tell me the story," Toby coughed, wincing from the pain. I had the boy lay back in the shallow life fountain water to heal. Then I agreed to tell him about that dark day twenty years ago.

"After we accidentally awoke the sentinel, we ran to the dock right over there," I said to my son.

"What happened next?" Toby asked, his voice raspy. He was still in the life fountain, but was now sitting upright. I continued the story as he cleaned off the wounds on his arms.

"We sailed away from the dock, but the sentinel jumped onto the ship! It took all of us to defeat him. He was shattered into pieces. Gazpaccio, the brilliant mechanist, took the broken pieces of the sentinel as his share of the treasure."

"What did Gazpaccio do with them?" Toby asked, his wounds began healing. He yawned.

"I am not entirely certain," I said. Toby laid back into the shallow water of the life fountain. "Not long after our return to Valencia, a war broke out between the great powers; Marleybone, Monquista, and Valencia, all attacked by Polaris. I retired from exploring, as did most of the crew, frankly. Most of us had plentiful wealth to live a peaceful and quiet life. Gazpaccio had used his mechanical expertise to build automata for the military. One of which was Kane." I suddenly came to the grave realization of what Gazpaccio did with the parts. "Kane is smarter and faster than any living being... just like the..." my mouth dropped. I glanced down at my son, who was fast asleep. I created a bed for him of leaves in the shade near the fountain and let him rest.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14: Preparations**

 **(This takes place nearly 3 years after Toby, Jack and Subodai first reach El Dorado in Chapter 10)**

"Is everything ready for departure?" Gracie Conrad asked Kane. Gracie was a mechanic from Marleybone, captured by the Armada during their successful invasion of Westminster Skyway. Gracie had a duty to repair any broken or malfunctioning Armada unit, else she would be executed like the Armada's worst enemies.

"Yes. We have prepared for three years for this day. We finally reach El Dorado. And, Jenny's mischievous son has done nothing to stop me."

"Very well, sir," Gracie left to send a telegraph to Don Tortellini at the Clock Works, the factory fortress city in Calabria Skyway where the Armada troops are built. Gracie hated helping Kane, but she had no other choice. Gracie entered the Telegraph Office and to the dog's surprise, there was a telegraph there. It was from Gazpaccio, Kane's inventor. Gracie and Gazpaccio had met in secret in his prison tower in the Clock Works. The two despise Kane. Gazpaccio because he regrets what Kane had become, and Gracie because he invaded her home country.

Gazpaccio's message read: _I've built my own telegraph machine here in my prison tower. Please update me on Kane's progress. -G_

Gracie gladly replied: _Of course, Gazpaccio. The Armada Inner Circle Elites are leaving today for El Dorado. They have interpreted the map and a stormgate to El Dorado will open TONIGHT under the full moon! We will be stopping by the Clock Works to retrieve Battle Angel and Dragoon units. -G.C._

As Gracie prepared to send a telegraph to Don Tortellini, she realized that it would be best to not send it, and possibly sabotage the El Dorado trip.

Gracie left the room and lied to Kane about the telegraph to the factory.

* * *

"Where are my troops?" Kane furiously asked as the massive ship, _The Executioner_ , parked at the Clock Works, the factory where Armada troops are made. "Don Tortellini should be out here."

Gracie followed Kane up to the gate, and knew she would be in trouble.

Don Tortellini came to the gate and walked out of the golden factory. "Kane, hey boss, how ya doing? I wasn't expecting you today."

"Really? Gracie should have notified you about our arrival. She sent a telegraph asking for ten thousand units. Why aren't they ready?"

"I never got a telegraph," the crab boss said.

Gracie nervously laughed. Kane grabbed her by the collar. "How dare you defy me, you treacherous dog! Deacon, throw her in the brig! Rooke, get Gazpaccio too. Both of them will suffer for this delay!"

* * *

Moments later, Gazpaccio heard a violent knock on the door of his workshop tower/prison cell. The elderly man opened the door, and saw Rooke. "Come with me, old man!"

"What?"

"Kane wants you to come to El Dorado with him," Rooke said as a pair of Battle Angels picked him up and closed the door.

"If we are going to El Dorado, may I please pick up something in my old apartment?"

"What is it?"

"It is just a small memento from my past," Gazpaccio lied. "It is very important to me."

"Very well," Rooke stopped walking. The angels let go of the old man. "Be quick though."

Gazpaccio entered the elegant apartment. It's where he lived long ago, before Kane had sent him to prison in his own backyard workshop and Don Tortellini turned the man's estate into a factory town. Being here brought back many memories, but he was under a time limit. He walked over to his old desk and found the Golden Heart from El Dorado. He was relieved that it had not been taken, and that his house was still intact, after all these years. He grabbed the heart and left, as Rooke was waiting.

* * *

Gracie and Gazpaccio, the Spiral's two greatest mechanics, were sitting in a cell on the Armada ship. "How did you get in here?" the elderly man asked the young dog.

"I sabotaged the unit pickup," she smirked. "Of course, I only delayed the departure, but that's one less hour that Kane has to reach the temporary El Dorado stormgate tonight!"

"This will be a long voyage, I shall tell you of how Kane was created, and how I plan to fix him!"

* * *

 _Gazpaccio began telling the tale of the time he built Kane. The finest Valencian steel he molded into the shape of a man. He placed the Golden Mind from El Dorado in Kane's head before closing it off. "Oh dear," the inventor mumbled, "I forgot to insert the heart in Kane's chest. No matter, the mind shall suffice."_

 _Gazpaccio placed a mask over the front of Kane's head. A lever was pulled bringing him to life._

"Kane was self-aware as a result of his Golden Mind. He began making new automata like himself, and soon replaced the Valencian military. We succeeded in defeating Polaris as a result of Kane and Rooke, however, Kane desired more and more power. Inserting this golden heart will fix Kane. It will give him compassion."

"That's amazing. I had no idea that you found the parts for Kane in El Dorado of all places! No wonder he wants to go there so badly."

"Yes, and it seems my engineering mistake in leaving out his heart has caused a lot more harm than I initially anticipated."

"The big question is how... how do we insert the heart? Kane would destroy us before we have the chance if we just casually approach him."

Gazpaccio glanced out the window. "We are approaching the stormgate. We'll be in El Dorado by morning."

* * *

 **Author's Note: This is the second to last chapter. The final chapter, called _The Endgame_ will be posted tomorrow! Thanks y'all for the support on this story. It's been boatloads of fun to write!**


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15: The Endgame**

 **Author's note: It's the finale, friends! Enjoy! And I won't mind if you share with your friends.  
**

 _The Next Day..._

Gracie Conrad and Gazpaccio awoke at the sound of their cell door opening. The two hadn't gotten much sleep on the hard floor of their cell.

"Come with me, you two," the battle angel ordered. "Kane wants you two to see El Dorado before he has you executed."

"Sure," Gazpaccio said, discreetly slipping the Golden Heart to Gracie Conrad, who slipped it into her pocket. "Take us to him."

* * *

That same morning, Toby woke up at the crack of dawn as usual. After getting dressed, he stepped outside, however, he wasn't greeted by the blinding reflections of the sun. The sky was overcast with clouds, and there were some small puddles on the street. Rain wasn't uncommon in El Dorado, but it was still unpleasant. Heavy downpours could happen any minute and make travel dangerous.

* * *

Gracie and Gazpaccio were escorted to the main deck. It was a breezy, cloudy day in the El Dorado Skyway. Gazpaccio was glad to see El Dorado again after 22 years, but he would rather see it of his own free will rather than as a captive.

"Isn't it amazing, _father_?" Kane asked his creator. Kane's back was to the two.

"Yes, Kane. It truly is," Gazpaccio replied. The white-haired man pointed to a keyhole in Kane's back. Gracie Conrad silently nodded.

"I feel drawn to the place. Yes, it is truly a source of wealth for our kingdom of Valencia, but there's something else about it. I can't quite place it. It feels like..." Gracie jammed the heart into Kane's back. "home."

"Indeed, it is my son!" Gazpaccio said.

Kane turned around. "Yes, father," he hugged the old man. "Both my mind and heart belong here." The other clockworks seemed bewildered by Kane's sudden change in disposition. "Release the prisoners! Why did I ever arrest them?"

"Uh, sir?" Rooke mentioned.

"Perhaps I could be of assistance," Phule danced in.

"Of course, son," Kane said.

"Father," Phule addressed Kane. "There's something on your back." Phule pulled out the heart, throwing it off the ship into the endless skyway. It was gone forever.

"FATHER!" Kane addressed Gazpaccio. "How dare you attempt to corrupt me!"

The entire might of the armada was now focused on the two engineers. "To the lifeboat!" Gracie Conrad said.

"Seize them!" Rooke shouted.

Gracie was able to run the fastest. "Hurry Gazpaccio!" she shouted as she reached a life boat. The elderly man was not fast enough. Kane caught Gazpaccio, but Gracie released her lifeboat. "Gazpaccio!"

"I'll be fine. Go while you can!"

The young Marleybonean floated away towards land in the lifeboat.

* * *

 _Toby's POV_

I was walking towards the plaza where that darn sentinel had attacked me over a year ago. If it wasn't for that life fountain, I would be as good as dead. A few months ago, I had celebrated my 16th birthday. In the 3 years I had been here, I had become quite skilled at using my daggers. I had also mapped out half of the city.

The humid air made me thirty. I climbed a palm tree to snatch a coconut. That's when I saw a lifeboat float up to the golden docks. _How is that possible?_ I thought.

After using my dagger to cut off a coconut, I made my way to the docks. A Marleybonean dog in a mechanist's uniform stepped out of the mysterious, lone life boat.

"AAH!" we both said at the same time. "How did you get here?" we asked each other in unison.

"I was definitely not expecting to find another person here," the dog said. "I'm Gracie Conrad, of Marleybone."

"And I'm Toby Voss, from Skull Island." I shook the dog's hand.

"You came through the stormgate?" she asked.

"Nay," I shook my head. I told her the story of how Jack, Subodai, and I found the secret portal to El Dorado 3 years ago.

"incredible. Thankfully, the Armada never found that shortcut. In other news, they did find the stormgate. Kane is out in the skyway now!"

"What?!" I asked. "They found the map pieces that quickly?"

"Sadly, yes."

"We should warn the others," I said, beginning to lead Gracie Conrad to our dwelling area.

* * *

"That is certainly alarming," my mom said after Gracie Conrad explained everything that occurred in the last few days.

"Gazpaccio knows the most about the Armada. He built Kane for heck's sake!" Gracie Conrad said. "I can't imagine what they're doing to him."

"I say we sneak onto their ship, and knock them out before they know what hit them!" I said confidently.

"Kane isn't like the other clockworks, son," mom said. "He's much smarter than any living being." I pouted. I kinda wanted to bash a bunch of clockworks.

"I do know something we can do. Oh but dash it all! I'd need a triple class Marleybonean Sea Dog motor."

"I can make that happen," I grinned.

* * *

In the library, I showed Gracie the magic forge. "Incredible... so this can just make _anything_?"

"Yup," I nodded. "Pretty much anything that exists."

"Seems impossible, but, here we go! Magic forge, make me a Triple Class Marleybonean Sea Dog motor. Please!" Within minutes, the forge spat out the motor. "Amazing!" Gracie Conrad's eyes grew large. "I could stay here forever." She began to drool.

"Uh, Gracie...?" I asked the dog.

"Right, the plan," she awkwardly laughed. "Inventing time later!"

I followed the teenage dog down to the dock. She sat on the dock, and got out her tools. She attached the motor to the lifeboat. I wasn't a very mechanical person, so I wasn't entirely sure what she was doing. But, whatever it was she was doing, it was obvious that she was no novice.

"Are you sure this will work," my mom said.

"Of course it will, Jennifer!" Gracie said, tightening the last bolt with her large wrench. "Alright, that should do it! Everyone on board!"

The three of us hopped into the small lifeboat. I casted Black Fog to conceal the small boat. It was quite windy that day, making the skyway a bit rough. It had been 3 years since I had been sailing, and frankly, my stomach wasn't used to rough skies. Kane's ship was approaching land. I sat near the side of the boat. "Gracie, what's your plan," I asked, feeling increasingly queasy. Breathing through my nose helped.

"I will unscrew the bolts of the ship!" Gracie said.

"What?! Are you mad?! That will take hours," I moaned.

"Quit complaining! It's that or getting killed by Kane."

The rain began falling at a steady pace. Thankfully the wind died down a bit. We successfully floated right up to the Armada ship without anyone noticing, thanks to my Black Fog hiding the raft.

Gracie found the first big bolt. "We don't need to unscrew _every_ bolt on this ship, just the big ones.

Jenny, my mom, bought out her lasso. "Time to take the fight to Kane."

"No! Mom!" I protested.

"I'll be fine, sweetheart."

"You didn't let me finish," I smiled. "Take me with you."

Suddenly, a bunch of smaller lifeboats left the main ship. Rooke, Deacon, Bishop, and Phule and a dozen smaller Armada units were headed towards land. Thankfully they didn't notice us, hidden in the fog.

"Should we do something about them?" Gracie asked.

"Nah, the giant sentinels will take care of them," I laughed.

"Sentinels?" Gracie asked, continuing to loosen the bolt. As she did, an entire metal plate gave way. "Never mind that. That should do it. Let's go! I'll help you two!"

* * *

 _Third person POV_

Jack climbed to the top of a building. Subodai was already up there. "Danger lurks," the Mongolian horse said.

Jack pulled out his spyglass. He spotted a pair of lifeboats full of Armada troops and inner circle elites in the bay, approaching the dock. "Oh dear, that's not good. Get Adam. He can help us."

"I think we are forgetting another powerful ally. That sentinel. I saw what it could do to Toby," Subodai said. "If we can trick one into attacking the Armada, we have it easy."

"I like the way you think," Jack smirked.

* * *

Adam and Subodai stood in the plaza. They could see the Armada Elites and battle angels landing at the dock. Jack came running out. "Hide!" he said. The three El Dorado defenders hid behind a column. The sentinel emerged from the temple. Jack snickered.

"It seems the legends of this place told by Gazpaccio are not exaggerated at all," Deacon said.

"We can take him easily," Rooke laughed. The sentinel's eye glowed as the massive clockwork charged the 30-foot sentinel. Rooke was blasted to metallic scraps on the spot. The sentinel's fist crushed Bishop. These armada troops were not as agile or witty as a person. Deacon was able to dodge a few attacks before he was finally stomped on.

Phule was quite a different story. He successfully evaded the sentinel's blows and entered the temple.

"Now to find the infinite treasure in this place," Phule stated. Suddenly, several more sentinels appeared out of the shadows. "Oh..." the jester realized he was done.

* * *

Toby, Gracie, and Jenny entered the Armada ship's hold. There were prison cells along the corridor. The three living beings took on the Battle Angels. Jenny used a cutlass, Toby used his daggers, and Gracie used a massive wrench to bash them. Gracie quickly found Gazpaccio's cell. Toby nabbed a key off of one of the battle angels they had defeated, and unlocked the cell with ease.

"Thank you for freeing me," Gazpaccio said.

"Not so fast," Kane said, entering the hold. "I thought I heard a disturbance down here."

"Kane! It's four on one. You have no hope of defeating us," Jenny said.

"Ah, Jennifer. It's been so long. I see you are still alive. Been hiding all these years here in El Dorado? Smart move. Even I admit I thought you were dead. You had the whole spiral fooled. The boy believed your lie for 8 years and yet he still is on your side. Remarkable."

"Shut up," Toby said, clenching his teeth. "You wouldn't understand what it's like to have parents!"

"On the contrary. I have the perfect mind, gifted to me by my father."

"What does he mean?" Toby asked.

"I... built Kane and gave him the mind of the golden sentinels," Gazpaccio.

"You WHAT?!" Toby asked Gazpaccio. "Why? Those things are insane!"

"But not the heart?" Jenny asked. Her previous assumption had been disproven. "Why did you leave out the heart."

"It was my greatest mistake," Gazpaccio sighed. "I forgot about it when I initially built Kane. I attempted to install the heart this morning, but that idiot Phule removed it."

"Grace," Kane turned to the dog engineer, "I see you've gone full blown traitor now."

"I have," Gracie said proudly. "Your tyranny must end. Now!"

"I see how it is," Kane pulled out his cutlass and took on the four challengers. Kane dealt heavy damage, knocking out Gazpaccio rather easily. Toby easily dodged Kane's sword, inflicting damage with his own twin daggers. All the while, the ship began to fall apart as the load bearing bolt had weakened the entire ship.

Jenny was in a stalemate with Kane's attacks. However, Kane was distracted and Gracie took this as an opportunity to hit Kane with her wrench. "What?!" Kane said. Suddenly, a great splintering sound was heard. The ship's upper decks began to cave in. A pipe falling from above knocked Kane out. The others ran to escape, miraculously unharmed. Gracie pulled the Golden Mind out of Kane's damaged head and slipped it into the pocket of her overalls.

They reached the crumbling top deck of the ship. The rain was falling quite heavily. This deck was truly massive. Queen, Kane's wife, was still there. "Intruders, surrender! Don't make me get Kane." The female clockwork threatened. Gazpaccio was gently placed on the deck while the others took care of Queen.

"News flash," Toby said, "Kane is dead."

"How dare you kill my husband!" Queen lunged at the boy.

Jenny intervened and blocked Queen's attack with her sword. Toby got a few stabs in with his daggers.

Gracie noticed the dark storm clouds above. The young genius got an idea, a way to destroy Queen. "Everyone drop your blades," Gracie said, dropping her wrench.

"Are you CRAZY?!" Toby asked.

"Just trust me, it's the smart thing to do."

"Now you come to your senses, canine," Queen smiled. "Everyone down on your knees."

"How is this okay? We are going to be executed..." Toby cried, getting on his knees.

 _Come on_ , Gracie thought. _Any minute now_.

"You are the most defiant," Queen pointed her gun at Toby. Suddenly, the skies did as Gracie hoped. A bolt of lightning streaked down from the sky. And Queen was the highest metallic object for miles. The sudden voltage caused the Queen to short out.

"Toby! Watch out!" Gracie Conrad warned the boy.

Toby jumped back to avoid the electricity. "Ack!" He yelped, landing on his back.

"Queen... is dead?" Jenny asked.

Gazpaccio awoke from his unconscious state. "Haha! You did it."

"You planned for that?" Toby asked his new friend, amazed that they were that lucky.

"Yeah," Gracie answered. "It was pretty obvious that metal conducts electricity."

Gazpaccio limped over and joined the group hug. "I hate to break up the sentiment," Gracie interrupted. "But we'd best get off this ship before we go down with it!"

The group lowered themselves down to the lifeboat. Gracie started up the motor and sped towards the mainland. They watched the _Executioner_ go down below the clouds of the skyway.

* * *

As they reached the shore, the storm had let up. The temple was in ruins, as well as most of the plaza, from the Sentinel attacks.

"Oh no," Jenny gasped. "We're too late. Rooke and the others pillaged all the treasure!"

Jack, Subodai, and Adam rushed to the shore. "Thank the Spiral you're okay," Adam hugged his wife.

"What happened?" Jenny laughed.

"The sentinels took care of the other Armada troops," Jack said.

"But all the treasure is gone," Toby frowned. "At least whatever was in the temple."

"One thing I've learned," Jenny began, "is that wealth and gold are great, but not as great as the family and friends you can share adventures with."

"Absolutely correct," Gracie said.

"Besides, there's more gold everywhere else," Subodai said.

"And a lot more exploring to do in this city," Jack stated.

"And a giant library full of infinite knowledge," Gracie grinned.

The group stayed in El Dorado, exploring it's entirity. Gracie built a telegraph to be able to connect to the rest of the Spiral. Everyone in every world was relieved to learn of the end of Kane's tyrannical rule.

The spiral had returned to a relative state of normalcy, until the next threat arises.

 _FIN_

 **Thanks everyone for your support. This was a lot of fun to write. This has been a project I've worked on for 6 months now and I'm glad I was able to finish it. Be sure to review if you enjoyed and stay tuned for future projects!**


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